This application includes a microfiche computer code appendix including twentyone microfiche with a total of 1,422 frames.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to military vehicles. In particular, this invention relates to a military vehicle having a cooperative control network with distributed I/O interfacing. In a particularly preferred aspect, this invention relates to a military vehicle having a control system that is capable of reconfiguring itself in response to a failure mode of operation. The present invention also relates to a method of controlling electrical devices on a military vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
A diverse array of military vehicles exist that are used in combat and non-combat scenarios. Such vehicles include vehicles that are found only in military settings, such as tanks, as well as vehicles that are military adaptations of widely used civilian vehicles, such as dump trucks, water pump trucks, wrecker trucks (for towing other vehicles), telephone trucks (for digging holes for telephone poles), and so on. Depending on the type of military vehicle and its intended military application, it is often desirable for the military vehicle to be able to withstand a severe amount of punishment and yet still remain operational, for example, when the vehicle has been damaged by enemy fire, nearby explosions, and so on.
Currently, control systems that are used for military vehicles vary widely depending among other things on the task that the vehicle is designed to perform. At one end of the spectrum are military vehicles that have almost entirely mechanical control systems with very little if any on-board computing capacity. At the other end of the spectrum are military vehicles that include highly complex, autonomously operating vehicle subsystems that communicate over a standard automotive communication bus such as SAE J1708 or J1939. While the latter approach is advantageous to the extent that additional functionality is provided, it can be disadvantageous to the extent that increased complexity creates additional opportunity for failure in the event that the vehicle is damaged in combat. Additionally, even in these systems, an extensive amount of hardwiring is used to interconnect discrete I/O devices, thereby limiting the robustness and flexibility of the control system that is provided.
There is an ongoing need for improved military vehicle control systems that are intelligent and robust. There is also an ongoing need for improved military vehicle control systems that are intelligent and robust and that can continue to operate at a maximum level of effectiveness when the vehicle is damaged by enemy fire, nearby explosions, and so on. The present invention provides a military vehicle control system that meets these needs.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the invention provides a military vehicle comprising a vehicle power distribution and control system that includes a plurality of input and output devices and a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules that collect data from the plurality of input devices and that distribute power to the plurality of output devices. The interface modules are distributed throughout the vehicle and are locally placed with respect to the plurality of input and output devices. Preferably, the plurality of interface modules are physically and functionally interchangeable with each other, and are each substantially identically programmed, such that each interface module includes substantially the same basic input/output system firmware, substantially the same operating system, and substantially the same application programs. Further, each of the plurality of interface modules preferably stores I/O status information acquired by each of the remaining ones of the plurality of interface modules from respective ones of the plurality of input devices.
According to another aspect of the invention, the invention provides a military vehicle comprising a power distribution and control system that includes a power source, a power transmission link, a plurality of input devices, a plurality of output devices, a communication network, a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules, and a microprocessor-based control unit. The plurality of interface modules are coupled to the power source by way of the power transmission link and are interconnected to each other by way of the communication network. Additionally, the plurality of interface modules are also coupled to the plurality of input devices and to the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links.
The plurality of interface modules include a first microprocessor-based interface module that is coupled to a first subset of the plurality of input devices and to a first subset of the plurality of output devices, and a second microprocessor-based interface module that is coupled to a second subset of the plurality of input devices and to a second subset of the plurality of output devices. The microprocessor-based control unit includes a control program that is executable by a microprocessor of the control unit to control the plurality of output devices based on input status information from the plurality of input devices.
The plurality of interface modules, the plurality of input devices, and the plurality of output devices are distributed throughout the military vehicle. Each respective interface module is locally disposed with respect to the respective input and output devices to which the respective interface module is coupled so as to permit distributed data collection from the plurality of input devices and distributed power distribution to the plurality of output devices.
Preferably, the microprocessor-based control unit is an additional interface module, and in particular is a master interface module. Additionally, the plurality of interface modules are each capable of serving as replacement master interface modules. The control system can therefore be made dynamically reconfigurable, such that the control system is capable of responding to a failure of the master interface module by designating another interface module as a new master interface module.
In another preferred aspect, the plurality of interface modules are physically and functionally interchangeable units. The plurality of interface modules each have a mastership rank that is defined by a physical location on the communication network where the plurality of interface modules are connected to the communication network, such that exchanging the location of two of the interface modules on the communication network causes the two interface modules to exchange mastership ranks.
In yet another preferred aspect, the military vehicle is a multipurpose modular vehicle and comprises a chassis and a variant module. The variant module is mounted on the chassis, and the chassis and the variant module cooperate to provide the military vehicle with a first type of functionality. The variant module is removable and replaceable with other variant modules to form other military vehicles with other different types of functionality. Preferably, the plurality of interface modules are physically and functionally interchangeable with interface modules utilized by the other variant modules.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many modifications and changes within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.